U.S. patent number 4,903,943 [Application Number 07/393,984] was granted by the patent office on 1990-02-27 for leakproof ball-and-socket joint arrangement.
This patent grant is currently assigned to KWC AG. Invention is credited to Ferdinand Hochstrasser.
United States Patent |
4,903,943 |
Hochstrasser |
February 27, 1990 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Leakproof ball-and-socket joint arrangement
Abstract
A housing for a discharge valve includes a hollow cylindrial
socket which projects in the radial direction, and in which a
siphon an actuating pin for control of the valve stopper is mounted
in a leakproof manner in a ball-and-socket joint arrangement. A
spherical part enclosing an intermediate portion of the actuating
pin is received in a ball socket recess in a holding element, which
is snapped onto the socket in a leakproof manner. The ball socket
recess has on the outer side a spheri-zone type sealing surface on
which an O-ring slides. A set of fingers of the holding element
partially enclose the spherical part and press it with a specific
force against the sealing surface.
Inventors: |
Hochstrasser; Ferdinand
(Auenstein, CH) |
Assignee: |
KWC AG (Unterkulm,
CH)
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Family
ID: |
4252260 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/393,984 |
Filed: |
August 15, 1989 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Sep 1, 1988 [CH] |
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03266/88 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
251/235; 74/471R;
251/229; 285/921; 4/692; 74/519; 285/261; 285/319 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16C
11/0614 (20130101); E03C 1/23 (20130101); E03C
1/2302 (20130101); Y10T 74/20012 (20150115); Y10S
285/921 (20130101); Y10T 74/20582 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
F16C
11/06 (20060101); E03C 1/22 (20060101); E03C
1/23 (20060101); F16K 031/44 () |
Field of
Search: |
;4/191,194,195,197,198
;74/471R,479,48R,519,18.1,18.2 ;251/231,235,279,38,40,229
;285/261,268,269,271,319,921 ;403/128,129,130 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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771559 |
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Oct 1934 |
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FR |
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1395727 |
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Dec 1965 |
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FR |
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198534 |
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Sep 1965 |
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SE |
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153146 |
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Mar 1932 |
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CH |
|
Primary Examiner: Walton; George L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Barnes & Thornburg
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An actuating pin mounting assembly for leakproof introduction of
an actuating pin into the interior of a valve housing, the mounting
comprising:
a tubular socket projecting laterally from a valve housing, a
generally spherical part for engagement with an intermediate
portion of an actuating pin, and a one piece holding element for
holding the generally spherical part, the holding element
comprising:
fastening means for fastening the holding element to the tubular
socket, a spherical zone sealing surface formed in the holding
element for sealing against an outside surface of the generally
spherical part, and resilient pressing means extending from the
sealing surface and integral thereto, said spherical part being
received in the pressing means for pressing the spherical part
against the sealing surface to achieve a sealed arrangement
therebetween prior to the fastening means fastening the holding
element to the tubular socket.
2. The actuating pin mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein the
sealing surface comprises an annular ring having a spherical inside
surface facing toward the tubular socket.
3. The actuating pin mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein the
pressing means comprises several elastically deflectable fingers,
each finger contacting an inner surface of the spherical part for
biasing the spherical part toward the sealing surface.
4. The actuating pin mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein an inner
surface of the tubular socket engages an outer surface of the
pressing means.
5. The actuating pin mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein the
pressing means is substantially enclosed by the tubular socket, and
the fastening means includes a snap closure for securing the
holding element at a predetermined position with respect to the
tubular socket.
6. The actuating pin mounting assembly of claim 5 wherein a distal
end of the socket comprises an annular stop face, and the holding
element comprises a counterface pressed by means of the snap
closure into contact with the annular stop face of the socket.
7. The actuating pin mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein the
generally spherical part includes a groove containing a sealing
element confronting the sealing surface.
8. The actuating pin mounting assembly of claim 7 wherein the
sealing element comprises an O-ring.
9. An actuating pin mounting sub-assembly for leakproof
introduction of an actuating pin into the interior of a valve
housing, including a tubular socket projecting laterally from the
valve housing, the sub-assembly comprising:
an actuating pin having an intermediate portion situated between
two opposite ends, a generally spherical part engaging the
intermediate portion of the actuating pin, and a one piece holding
element for holding the generally spherical part, the holding
element including: fastening means for fastening the holding
element to the tubular socket, a spherical zone sealing surface
formed in the holding element for sealing against an outside
surface of the generally spherical part, and resilient pressing
means extending from the sealing surface and integral thereto, said
spherical part being received in the pressing means for pressing
the spherical part against the sealing surface to achieve a sealed
arrangement therebetween prior to the fastening means fastening the
holding element to the tubular socket.
10. The actuating pin mounting sub-assembly of claim 9 wherein the
fastening means comprises a snap closure for securing the holding
element at a predetermined position with respect to the tubular
socket.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to discharge valves for
washbasins and other fixtures, and more specifically to a
ball-and-socket joint arrangement for easy and leakproof
introduction of a swivel movement of a siphon or actuating pin or
other lever into the interior of the sanitary discharge valve
housing or the like.
Discharge valves of washbasins and tubs frequently have
ball-and-socket joint arrangements in order to introduce a control
movement coming from a control fitting for raising or lowering a
valve stopper from the outside into the inside of the valve
housing. These valve housings have a tubular socket projecting
laterally approximately in the horizontal direction, on the free
end region of which a spherical zone type of sealing surface is
provided. Resting against the sealing surface is a plastic ball
which sits on a siphon pin for the valve stopper. A screw cap, also
having a spherical zone type of contact surface resting against the
spherical part, is screwed on the socket, for the purpose of
pressing the spherical part against the sealing surface.
Since the forces acting on the siphon or actuating pin for the
control of the valve are very small, the screw cap must not be
screwed too tight. The result of this is that, in particular where
the discharge is blocked downstream of the socket, the
ball-and-socket joint arrangement is not leakproof or, if the screw
cap is tightened to achieve a leakproof seal, the discharge valve
cannot be operated anymore. Additionally, the known ball-and-socket
joint arrangements are expensive to manufacture and install.
The object of the present invention is therefore to propose a
ball-and-socket joint arrangement for leakproof introduction of a
swivel movement of the siphon pin into the interior of a drain
housing which is reliably leakproof and is still easy to operate,
and which is less expensive to manufacture and simpler to
install.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object is achieved by providing a holding element having a
spherical zone sealing surface formed therein for sealing against
an outside surface of a ball joint or other spherical part. The
holding element includes pressing means for pressing the spherical
part against the contact surface to achieve a sealed arrangement
therebetween. The holding element also includes a separate
fastening means for fastening the holding element to the drain
housing.
Since both the spherical zone type of sealing surface and the
pressing means pressing the spherical part against the sealing
surface are formed in the holding element, the pressing of the
spherical part against the sealing surface is always insured,
irrespective of the fastening of the holding element on the
housing. In this way an easy movement of the spherical part and a
reliable seal in the region of the sealing surface are maintained.
Furthermore, the spherical part connected to a control element can
now be pre-assembled together with the holding element to a
sub-assembly, and this sub-assembly can subsequently be fixed
directly on the drain housing by means of the fixing means, which
greatly simplifies the fitting.
In a preferred embodiment, a reliable sealing is ensured even in
the event of great pressure differences as the spherical part acted
upon by pressure from the interior of the drain housing is pressed
against the sealing surface with an additional force proportional
to the excess pressure.
In a preferred embodiment wherein the contact surface is
elastically deflectable, the spherical part can be slotted without
any problem into the one-piece holding element. In another
preferred embodiment, a tubular socket gripping round the holding
element in the region of the pressing means prevents elastic
deflection of the pressing means in the form of fingers, which
ensures definite pressure of the spherical part against the sealing
surface in all conditions.
A particularly simple installation is provided in one embodiment
wherein the holding element snaps onto the socket, and thus threads
do not have to be formed either on the socket or on the holding
element. This simplifies the manufacture and can ensure a precisely
defined position of the holding element relative to the socket.
A particularly leakproof ball-and-socket joint arrangement is
achieved by providing a groove containing a sealing element on the
holding element or on the spherical part in the region of the
sealing surface. The sealing element in this embodiment either
glides on the surface of the spherical part or on the sealing
surface on the holding element.
Ball-and-socket joint arrangements are used in a preferred manner
according to the invention in sanitary discharge valves for
leakproof introduction of a siphon pin controlling a valve stopper
into the interior of discharge valve housings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will now be explained in greater detail with
reference to a preferred embodiment shown schematically in the
drawings:
FIG. 1 shows a discharge valve of a washbasin with a
ball-and-socket joint arrangement of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the ball-and-socket joint
arrangement shown in FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A generally known discharge valve 12 is provided in the outlet area
of an only partially shown washbasin 10. The discharge valve 12 has
an essentially hollow cylindrical upper housing part 14 which
passes through the wall of the washbasin 10. The housing wall of
the washbasin 10 and opens in a known manner into the upper housing
part 14. An external thread is provided at a bottom end region 18
of the upper housing part 14 which projects downwards through the
washbasin 10 and screws into an essentially hollow, cylindrical,
housing part 20 with a corresponding internal thread. An annular
washer 22 is provided between the upper end of the lower housing
part 20 and the washbasin 10.
A tubular socket 24 is fitted on the lower housing part 20, the
tubular socket having a longitudinal axis projecting in the radial
direction from the tubular lower housing part 20. A holding element
26 with its essentially cylindrical part 26' is inserted in the
form of a plug into the free end 66 of the socket 24 away from the
lower housing part 20. The cylindrical part 26' has a recess 27,
defining a spherical zone sealing surface, in which a spherical
part 28 is mounted. The spherical part 28 rests on a twin-armed
siphon or actuating pin 30 which passes through the holding element
26 approximately in its longitudinal direction. The inner arm 32 of
the siphon or actuating pin 30 extends into the interior of the
lower housing part 20, while its outer arm 34 is operatively
connected by means of a rod 36 to a fitting 38, shown only
schematically, by which the rod 36 can be manipulated.
An essentially mushroom-shaped valve stopper 40 with radially
running, wing-shaped guide elements 41 is guided so that it slides
in the vertical direction in the upper housing part 14. A circular
groove 42 is provided at the outer edge of the valve stopper 40 in
which an annular washer 44 is arranged. The washer 44 rests against
the funnel-shaped flare of the upper housing part 14. A bolt 46 is
screwed into the bottom of the valve stopper 40. The bottom end of
bolt 46 includes a headshaped thickened part 48 which rests against
the inner arm 32 of the siphon pin 30.
Upon movement of the rod 36 in the direction of the arrow A, the
siphon pin 30 is swung around the spherical part 28 in the
clockwise direction, the result of which is that the valve stopper
40 is raised, and water can run out of the washbasin 10. If the rod
36 is moved in the opposite direction to the arrow A, the siphon
pin 30 is swung back again in the counterclockwise direction into
the position shown in FIG. 1, thereby causing the valve stopper 30
to lower by its own weight following the movement of the free end
region of the inner arm 32 of the siphon pin 30, until the washer
44 is again resting against the funnel-shaped flare 16 of the upper
housing part 14.
The recess 27 in the cylindrical part 26' of the holding element 26
includes sealing surface 52 in the form of a spherical zone. The
spherical zone sealing surface 52 is situated outside a plane 50
running through the center point of the spherical part 28 and at
right angles to the longitudinal axis of the holding element 26
(see in particular FIG. 2). On the inside of the plane 50, slits 54
are provided, extending from the inner end of the holding element
26 facing the inside of the socket 24 into the region of the plane
50, and running essentially in the axial direction and passing
through in the radial direction. The slits 54 bound deflectable
fingers 56 in the radial direction. These fingers 56 partially grip
round the spherical part 28, viewed in the axial direction of the
holding element 26, and with their contact surfaces 58 provide
pressing means pressing the spherical part 28 against the spherical
zone sealing surface 52 (see FIG. 2). In the free end region the
fingers 56 are flared in a conical shape at their inner side, in
order to permit problem-free introduction of the spherical part 28
into the ball socket recess 27.
In the region of the sealing surface 52 the spherical part 28 has a
circular groove 53 in which an O-ring 60 is disposed. The swivel
angle of the siphon pin 30, and thus also of the spherical part 28,
is limited, by a following circular rib 62 bounding the sealing
surface 52 in the direction towards the outside of the ball socket
recess 27, in such a way that the O-ring 60 never runs off the
sealing surface 52.
The cylindrical part 26' of the holding element 26 inserted in the
form of a plug into the socket 24 is bounded on the outside by a
circular edge 64 projecting in the radial direction. Said edge 64
rests against the end 66 of the socket 24 formed as an annular stop
face. The holding element 26 has a hollow cylindrical covering
element 68, integral with the cylindrical part 26' at the outer end
region of the holding element 26, which is radially spaced
outwardly from and partially encloses the cylindrical part 26' in
the axial direction. This covering element 68 grips round the free
end region of the socket 24 and snaps with a circular bead 70 into
a corresponding groove 72 in the socket 24. The surfaces of this
bead/groove snap connection resting against each other are
conically shaped in such a way that the edge 64 is pulled against
the free end 66 of the socket 24.
In order to permit rapid and precise fitting, a cylindrical recess
74 in the spherical part 28 has a step-type flare which comes to
rest against a corresponding taper 76 on the siphon pin 30. A
saw-tooth-shaped ribbing 78 ensures a secure seating of the
pressed-on spherical part 28 to the siphon pin 30. The O-ring 60 is
subsequently placed in the circular groove 53 on the spherical part
28, and the spherical part 28 is placed together with the O-ring 60
and the siphon pin 30 in the ball-type recess 27 of the holding
element 26. In the process the fingers 56 spread apart elastically
and subsequently, with their contact surfaces 58, press the
spherical part 28 or the 0-ring 60 with a specific force against
the sealing surface 52. Thus the pre-assembled sub-assembly is now
placed like a plug in the socket 24, and the covering element 68 is
engaged into the groove 72, as shown in FIG. 1. Since the fingers
56 and the inner circumferential surface of the hollow cylindrical
socket 24 are in good contact, spreading out of the fingers 56 is
prevented, which ensures precisely defined contact of the O-ring 60
or of the spherical part 28 on the sealing surface 52 during the
entire service life of the ball-and-socket joint arrangement. The
spherical part 28 and the holding element 26 are preferably
injection molded parts made of plastic. They can be manufactured
simply and with extreme precision.
* * * * *